SSA scheme: Students to get uniforms free of cost in Goa

Panaji: For the first time in Goa, around 25,000 school students would be provided two pairs of uniforms free of cost under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA). The students are from SCs, STs and below poverty line families, SSA Goa project director Minanath Upadhye told.

This would be in addition to the Goa government`s programme under which students in the government-run schools are provided a set of uniform. Around 1,019 government primary and middle schools would be covered under this ambitious scheme, for which the Centre has sanctioned Rs 80.63 lakh, Upadhye said. The SSA officials have decided to route the fund through School Management Committees (SMCs), which will decide on the purchase and distribution of the uniforms. "As per SSA guidelines, uniforms are to be distributed at SMC level and not by inviting tenders at the centralised level," Upadhye said. As many as 15,921 students would be provided two pairs of uniforms, while 8,473 students from Class I-III, who are already getting uniform from the state government, would be provided with an additional pair, he said. During this academic year, the SSA has also provided free text books for 1.37 lakh students in primary and upper primary schools. A total of 65,358 students from primary and 71,773 from upper primary schools ? government and aided ones -- would be provided free text books, Upadhye added. PTI